Friday, November 30, 2012

The Talking Pooches

So, we've already admitted that we talk to our dogs, but we actually take it another level: we also respond back in their voices (thanks Rebel Werewolf for putting that out there first!).
Because with faces like these, how can they not have voices?
And not just voices, but voices to match their characters.
With her signature not impressed looks and continual plotting ways, Miss M can have nothing less than the voice of a sinister cartoon villain with the cackle of Gargamel.
We believe that she thinks of us as her chauffeur, personal chef, butler, pooper scooper, and maid and is always speaking down to us.

Miss M always has a habit of looking us straight in the eye, then sneezing and snorting which we often think of as her as walking around muttering curses at us under her breath.

On the other hand Mr. B is not so bright and so of course he has a dopey voice.

We believe he walks around saying to himself, "duhp duhp duhp." Then whenever he speaks, he usually starts his sentences with a "da" and his sentences are usually only a few words. For example, whenever our fosters came back to our home after being gone at their adoption events, Mr. B would get really confused and we would imagine him saying, "Da what?! Da who da dis?!"

Mugsy definitely has his own voice. It's more of a "poor me" voice. For example when we tell Mugsy he can't come on the bed, he mutter "you guys are such jerks, you never let me have any fun". He also has a weird habit of busting in the bathroom door (cause it doesn't close properly) whenever someone is in there and will sit with his back turned to you and look back with eyes that scream " just love me". What a better time to get some loving?

Ha ha, perfect match for your pups! We always have Nabi saying, "is this ooookkkaay?" in a small, shaky voice when confronted with new/scary things. Willie has a farm boy/redneck accent since he was originally from the shelter in Terre Haute, IN. :)

Haha, those are perfect descriptions! Even though I've ALWAYS done voices for my childhood dogs and foster dogs, I don't do it much for Rufus..and if I do, it's more of a normal guy voice. Even tho he's grumpy, I just picture him talking similarly to us haha...must mean he's truly family ;)

Totally. Our 13 year old shih tzu was a man of many accents- we waffled between both German and Spanish accents and he was always a bit condescending. Whereas our 9 yr old Pitt mix is much more like your Mr. B., her voice is a cross between a valley girl and a small, very like able child! We used to feel bad that we made her voice "not as smart" but since we think she sees us more as family and less like servants, we have gotten over it:)

My dog speaks French half the time because he is half Belgian Malinois. The other half of the time he speaks English, and tends toward plain-speaking. He's got such an expressive face and body that it's hard not to give him dialogue. Though, actually, I think I've done this with every do I've ever owned or fostered.

He has dialogue in my poems, sometimes, as in this poem: http://redspork.blogspot.com/2012/02/dirty-time-of-year-poem.html

Btw, I always imagine him calling me Katharine. A trainer I once met said I shouldn't let my dog call me by my first name! But I don't like that "mom" stuff. He's not my son, he's my dog. Of course, lots of people refer to themselves as their dog's mom or dad. That's okay. I just don't like it myself.

Oh, yes! My dogs most def have voices! My old Irish Wolfhound mix reminded us of Donkey from Shrek, but the way he moved was totally an Eeore voice. My pittie has different voices depending on her mood;)

Ha. Of course we do. There is a dopey voice for the dog, and a prissy for our cat. We have a lot of 'bits' like the idea that our dog doesn't understand the concept of numbers. 'Today I saw a person, a person, a tree, a cat, a cat, and another tree.'And also that he thinks basically all squirrels are the same animal. 'Hey guys, there's that squirrel again.'The cat likes to hurl insults and make demands. The dog might say 'Hey, can I have some of that snack?' but the cat would say 'You. Human. Give me that food.'